


Just like me

by Im_just_existing



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Soldiers, Divergent Timelines, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Older Eren Yeager, Other, Parent-Child Relationship, Parental Eren, Season 4 doesn't exist, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Manga Spoilers, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan-Typical Violence, Titan Eren Yeager
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:27:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29223939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_just_existing/pseuds/Im_just_existing
Summary: And for a moment it was calm, the once violent barrage of attacks had ceased and all attention was on the mountain of muscle in front of them. But it's eyes were on his
Relationships: Eren Yeager & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	1. chapter one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simply my idea of what happened in the pre season 4 time skip because we all need a break from that emotional dumpster fire. Basically forget anything that has/ might have happened because it will probably make you cry. Also I wrote this while half asleep so I'm sorry if it makes no sense.

His head titled upward, the small beads of sweat that sat on the back Back of his neck drifting down to soak the collar of his shirt. His lips parted slightly and his eyes widened as he struggled to pushed a breath out. His ears were deaf to the bang and his eyes blind to the flash.  
And for a moment it was calm, the once violent barrage of attacks had ceased and all attention was on the mountain of muscle in front of them. But it's eyes were in his. 

\- 

He couldn't tell you why he was there, he had started running a while ago- what must have been atleast an hour maybe two. But they had caught up with him almost instantly. He swallowed thickly, blinking away the residual tears and driving his feet further into the dirt in attempt to gain distance between them and himself. They weren't after him, he knew that much, their target was the fast moving Titan behind him. 

There was no destination, no where was safe and he was fine with that; all he needed was his bag. The one piece of tattered leather and ripped fabric was his only objective. Though it wouldn't provide much help, it had no food, no water, no clothes and nothing of use to him. But it was better useless to him than useful to the wrong person. 

To be fair he didn't know exactly what it was, from what he could tell it was just a case. He had tried to open it a few time eventually giving up and begrudgingly keeping his promise of blissful ignorance. 

He made a sharp turn pausing by a tree and kneeling down to look in the hollowed out space at the bottom of the trunk. There were only a few seconds to grab it unless he wanted to be caught in the action of the inevitable fight. His had reached in wrapping itself around the droplets of condensation that the leather had accumulated across the few days. The bronze of the buckle had withstood the trial of time, the metal had been embellished with what he was named; _Ivo_ was carved out in rustic style cursive the edges chipped slightly from the handiwork

He paused, the exact sight he hated seeing when he woke up was staring him back. The scars on his face looked like they had ripped through the skin, sitting on his cheek bones and mocking him. He was lost in thought and the few minutes he had to flee originally, drifted into the void. 

The wrapping of hooves against the ground is what startled him back to consciousness. They weren't far, in fact they were close, too close and getting closer. He tensed, slipping his body into the tight cave which had previously held the bag and clutching it to his chest. The sound of grunts of frustration, dying cries and desperate names resonated in the air, his jaw clenching at the onslaught of violence 

Less than a few seconds had gone by when he saw it, the Titans. Their sloppy movements dictating the destruction in front of him. Some reaching for their meals and other making a desperate attempt to flee, the final group being slaughtered mercilessly. 

In an instant it seemed as if the Titans had doubled in population, their persuers leaping into the air and propelling themselves forward. He had seen it a few times- their dangerous aerial stunts that resulted in his safety and he lived it every time. Eventually it got worse, the Titans kept appearing almost tripling their original amount in nearly ten minutes. Yet he sat almost silently, his eyes closed and his breath slightly labored. 

**"EREN"**

His eyes opened at the call and only widened more as the scene unfolded

-

His head titled upward, the small beads of sweat that sat on the back Back of his neck drifting down to soak the collar of his shirt. His lips parked slightly and his eyes widened as he struggled to pushed a breath out. His ears were deaf to the bang and his eyes blind to the flash.  
And for a moment it was calm, the once violent barrage of attacks had ceased and all attention was on the mountain of muscle in front of them. But it's eyes were in his. 

A strong breeze pined his shoulders to the of the trunk, his lower back soaked by the earth he had dug into days ago. He blinked, the gaze that had once captured his had turned away and focusing on its target- the Titans. 

_-This is wrong!! Why- why is it attacking the other Titans?-_

But was it? He'd never seen a Titan appear from nowhere before, so the idea of them turning on eachother wasn't completely out of the water- He'd also never seen lightning beam from the sky or made eye contact with a Titan before today.  
The fight was definitely longer than usual, the four he had seen were ten minutes at their peak, and it wasn't until a good thirty minutes of action had happened before It finally calmed. 

He sat, the previous violence still ringing in his ears, his breath more prominent now. Most of the scouts were out of sight now, he assumed they were preparing to go to wherever they had planned. The giant he was once watching collapsed; his fingers dug into the bag as he fought the urge to announce himself. He swallowed once more, watching as a man ripped himself from the Giants body. He ducked his head behind the leather cover, shielding his eyes from the sight.  
To him this felt illegal as if this information was supposed to be unknown to him, it had to be- or atleast hidden from children. 

Footsteps padded towards him and he shrunk further to the back despite having no where to go, his head ducking lower. He held his breath and prayed silently that they'd avoid him like people always do, catching his lip between his teeth in hopes of achieving absolute silence. Then they stopped.  
He pushed his eyes back over the barrier, fists still gripping the handle as they made eye contact.  
_"Eren! What did you see? Is it something dangerous because we're-"_ There was a voice, he assumed it belonged to another scout. 

The silence was torture they stared at eachother intensely, Eren's hand perched on the outside bark to prevent him from falling in. His eyes darting from the ones of the child in front of him and the scars on his face. A foreign hand was placed on his shoulder as he looked up at the man who had joined the situation earlier. _"Armin- go get Levi"_  
Armin's face scrunched up in confusion _"Why? What happened. Are you okay?"_ It was now Ivo noticed the outside world was blocked by the man's frame. He couldn't see out and no one else could see in. 

His head turned back to the boy, dismissing his question and continuing to urge him on _"quick it's important"_ the footsteps that followed let him know that the man's task had been carried out as requested. 

Ivo let out a shaky breath as he himself noticed the markings, almost identical to his own on the stranger, his hands creeping up to brush against his own raised flesh. His fingers rested on them, he had yet to blink struggling to process the information. He pulled his hand away rapidly as a gruff voice pulled him from his trance, startling him into awareness. _"Yeager- we need to be getting back, get yourself together and stop wasting time!"_ The volume itself wasn't intimidating, it was more the lack there of. Eren moved away from the hole, providing a space for Levi to look in. He huffed glaring at him as he approached to see what ever had deemed so urgent _"What nonsense have you-" he paused upon seeing Ivo, looking back at Eren and stepping back._

_"Is he-"_ Levi pointed at him, prompting Ivo to press harder against the wood and dirt in what looked like a desperate escape. "A _Shifter-_ yeah, atleast I think so"


	2. Chapter two

The two men stood there for a second, their gaze casted downward at the boy who was still grasping onto the leather satchel. 

_"So- should we take him back?"_ Eren questioned him looking up with a frown, only slightly pulling away from the hole. 

Levi sighed grumbling under his breath as he looked away, crossing his arms over themselves as he glared into the distance. He took a moment, weighing out his choices before answering _"The chances of us encountering more Titans is low- but not zero. If we bring him back you'll be responsible"_ He hummed in agreement looking back down at Ivo. _"It's better than leaving him out here to die"_

 _"You've got five minutes before we just leave you behind"_ Eren knew that was a lie, everyone knew that for the most part, levi wouldn't actively try to harm any of the scouts, but that didn't stop fear from bubbling up. 

He nodded, by now everyone had noticed the two person gathering, at watched as they waited for orders. He cleared his throat and offered a smile, Ivo had pressed himself flush against the dirt, his nails had dug into the leather bag to the point if leaving marks. Eren struggled to find a way to start a conversation, he knew he couldn't leave the child; that was a given. However coaxing him into following a stranger sounded practically impossible. 

He reached upward, brushing his fingers against the residual muscles that mirrored the scars of the child. _"I have those too- how did you get them?"_ He tried his best, he really did but he got no answer; just a blank stare and a single blink. He offered his hand, it was probably the least effective strategy but it was better than essentially speaking to himself. 

He waited for a couple seconds, preparing to pull it away from his grasp when he felt weight on his hand. Ivo's small fingers at rested against the tip of his index finger and slowly made their way to the center of his palm. His finger wrapped around the youngers' hand as he assisted on pulling the boy from the hole.

He could see him better in the light of the cloudy day, despite the dirt smeared on his clothes. He was looked about seven maybe eight, his hair hung little way below the lobes of his ears some clues with mud. He was littered in what appeared to be scars, but what he knew from previous experience was the markings left from Titan shifting; essentially muscle that had previously been a part of a Titan. Instead his skin healing over and covering the delicate flesh Ivos' seemed to have healed around it leaving the muscle permanently exposed. They twitched as he blinked, their contractions visible from the outside. He was dressed simply, green shirt and grey pants, he assumed that the child had shed his shoes earlier on as most did. 

Erens' grip on him was weak, just tight enough to guide him towards the others. Ivo had the satchel against his chest, his free hand wrapped around it to secure it in place. He had placed the leather strap on the outside of his arm and kept his head down as they walked, in a failed attempt to hide the muscle tissues. 

Upon arrival there was a gasp and a shuffle of footsteps quickly approaching him. He looked up to see a face almost touching his, inspect every inch in carefully; he gave a blank stare hoping his fear was bottled up enough for him to seem in bothered. _"Wow you really weren't kidding- I had honestly thought you had learned to make a joke."_

Levi clicked his tongue before answering _"Hange- I don't make jokes, especially not about something like this. You of all people should know."_ he approached them pulling her up by the shoulder and turning to remount his horse sending a sharp look Erens' way problematically his head in the direction of his horse. 

He took the hint at turned towards Ivo, bending slightly to pry the satchel from his fingers and flowing when the boys grip only tightened. _"My friend will keep it safe for you- don't worry"_ The child blinked again, relaxing his grip and allowing Eren to pull it away, handing it to Levi. _"For the record I'm not your friend, I'm your captain"_

He smiled and nodded, slipping his hands under his arms and hoisting him up onto the back of the horse before slipping into the space behind him. The stares of the other scouts were practically stabbing Ivo in the neck, the presence of a random child harshly concerning them. Most couldn't see Ivo completely, the majority of his interactions with Levi, Hange and Eren being blocked his elders. His head pointed forward, the last thing he needed to experience was another round of intense eye contacts. 

Eren was fully expecting a scream or a fear tantrum when they started off, a yelp at the very least but what wasn't on his list if expectations was pure silence, though hit wasn't complaining. So far the child had seemed easy to work with- a little hesitant but it would have been more concerning if he wasn't. The ride felt longer than usual, maybe it was the surprisingly calm journey or the fact that he was constantly checking to see if Ivo's silence was because he was dead or not.


	3. Chapter three

The rhythmic movements of the horses had calmed his mind and at some point, Ivo felt his body falling from reality and into sleep. Erens' head tilted downwards, inspecting the child for what felt like the thousandth time, his eyes had closed and his breaths evened out. Despite this he looked almost identical to when he was awake; his back straightened to attention and his facial expressions neutral. He looked back up to see they were quickly approaching the wall, frankly, he had no idea of how Ivo would react to the usual crowds of people that greeted them. He took a deep breath, leaning forwards slightly to obscure people's vision. It was inevitable that at least a few people had seen him, it's practically impossible for him to completely conceal the child. He sighed as he came to a stop, pushing himself off his horse and reaching up to retrieve Ivo. His eyes opened sharply as Erens' fingers wrapped around his arm, his body tensing as he looked down at him. He rearranged his hold on him and offered a smile before helping him down. He began walking, keeping an eye on the boy who was trailing behind him, his eyes off in the distance. They only managed to make it a few steps before they were swarmed with questions and strange looks. _"Eren- is that a CHILD!?"_ _"what was he even doing out there?"_ _"he looks like he's been through hell_ _"What's on his face?_

He moved around to block Ivo from their view, letting out a breath of relief as Levi called them to attention. _"You brats are too loud, the kids gonna have a breakdown if you don't shut the fuck up"_ his words cut through the commotion instantly silencing the slowly forming crowd. he rolled his eyes dismissing them with a wave of his hand _"you all have things to do and none of them are gawking over a child so hurry up and leave"_. he turned away beckoning Eren and Ivo to follow him; pointing at Hange, Armin, and Mikasa and repeating the gesture. They walked in silence, Hanges excitement practically dripping off her as they walked. The air was thick and tense, everyone seemed on edge- everyone except Ivo, the boy was dead silent and concerningly calm. his expression had stayed cold and hard since he had left the hole, borderline threatening when he was woken from his short slumber. The room they had entered was practically empty, nothing but a table and a single chair was in it and for a while, they sat in silence nothing was said.

 _"A shifter- you found a titan shifter"_ Levi's voice was some mix between exhaustion and irritation. Eren simply nodded hesitating his answer for a few moments before replying _"I think so-"_

As soon as the silence was broken Hange bolted forwards, caressing the markings on his arms and legs and prodding at his flesh. He simply blinked at the interaction standing patiently and allowing himself to be manhandled _"it will be so beneficial to have a titan this young, there's so much we could learn from him and-"_ Armin spoke up- an obviously confused expression on his face _"if he is actually a shifter shouldn't we have him somewhere more secure, given his age, he may be blind to logical reasoning if he accidentally does go into his titan form"_ by this moment Ivo had tuned them out, waiting patiently until the inevitable moment he was no longer useful, or at least until the wanted to get rid of him. In truth he had no idea of what a shifter was or how he was liked to it, even further how he was allegedly dangerous. he hadn't or rather wasn't speaking at all, he had no idea of what to say; essentially he had been kidnaped for what he saw as merely existing. Was it even possible to be kidnaped if you had no parents or was it simply adopting at that point?.

 _"Do you think he understands us?"_ it was this part of the conversation that he focused back in for. Erens question was answered with a simple _'what?'_ before he continued _"I tried speaking to him earlier but- he didn't respond, he just stared at me confused"_. there was no response, the thoughts of the others in the room were almost aidable in the silence. Hange was the one to speak up, standing from her recent researching of the boy to answer _"I mean unless he has made substantial contact with other humans there's no guarantee-"_

 _"He does"_ it was the first time since the beginning of the conversation that Mikasa had spoken up, from where she had been standing out of the light she had been almost invisible. His head straightened to attention at his act being called out _" he can definitely hear us, he just not reacting"_ He raised his head slowly, everyone was staring at him now. he WAS planning on going the duration of being here in silence but now they knew he could hear them, they would try to get him to speak. 

_"Okay brat speak up"_ Levi approached him batling Ivo's dull stare with his own intense one, he replied with a singular blink; looking away and back at him. There were too many people here for him to run and he definitely couldn't play off the dumb card now, he'd simply have to give in, he had no other choice. Eren broke his mental debate seemingly trying to coax him into speaking _"we just want to know your name"_. It was never just his name, the location of the box, or where to find the key, his name was simply the start of a painful conversation. He huffed a breath from his nose and mumbled out a response _"Ivo"_ he winced hearing his own voice, it sounded strained which made sense, it had been a good few weeks since had last spoken to someone, still though his own named felt foreign in his mouth.

None had any real idea of how to continue the conversation, it had been interesting to know he was fully understanding them the whole time, though it was understandable; any normal child would put up a defense mechanism in his position, however, the one he chose seemed rehearsed. he blinked once more unsurprised by another person close to his face _"well Ivo- my names Armin and these guys are my friends, don't worry- we aren't going to hurt you"_ he offered the boy a smile and was thanked with a blink. the smile became disappointed as he stood deciding to approach the situation in a different way. _"you must be hungry, we can get you something to eat?"_ his response to this was much more eager he nodded, slipping out a few more strained words. _"yes.........yes please"_


	4. Chapter four

It felt like a mere second had passed when he found himself seated at a table in the mess hall with a meal prepared for someone twice his age. he looked around he was surrounded by adults, eyes beamed down at him watching his every move intently. It felt wrong to eat in front of others, especially when they themselves weren't eating- well most of them. one of the scouts closer towards him had their mouth full, casually engaging in conversation with another; he only barely caught the names, Sasha and Connie, though chances were he'd forget them soon enough. he looked up hesitantly at the first man he had met, looking at the others before taking a bite of bread the sighs that filled the room afterward confused him. what was so relieving about him eating- everyone at food right, fair enough he had been living off of berries and whatever baked good he had managed to steal but still tier concern for his safety confused him. he took another bite, looking down at the meal he had been given; it was much more than he was used to having at one time and even more than he thought he could handle. the crowd dispersed after he took his first bite a few lingering around to keep an eye on him. 

He felt the weight of the table shift as he was joined by another person, he made eye contact with them; wearily watching them as he continued to eat. _"your name was Ivo right?"_ the man in question smiled as Ivo nodded pulling his face away from his food and reaching out to take a sip of water. he could tell who it was in an instant- in truth, he had failed to remember the name that had been called earlier in the day however the face had been burned into his mind. _"my name is Eren Yeager-"_

_"Eren?"_ it had shocked everyone to hear him speak so loudly and the room had automatically frozen, the boy looked up at him with a deep stare and Eren had paused his question. he nodded his smile quickly turning awkward _"yeah that's my name-"_ Ivo stared blankly at him, his fingers gripping the hardwood of the table. he knew that name- there was a letter for him, he had been tempted to read it previously but resisted; he was- older than he imagined though it had made it out that they'd be the same age or at least close in age. He needed to say something anything to play off his reaction, he spoke impulsively _"I like that name"_

it was a dumb way to cover-up his mistake, but it worked; the subject matter was dropped _"Thanks, I like your name too"_ Ivo nodded in response taking another bite. _" I was just wondering what you were doing out there by your self specifically, there were quite a few titans out today"_ he shrugged, somehow he would have escaped whatever situation he may have found himself in, he always did. _"I had to get my bag-"_ The bag- where was it? he had let Eren give it to someone earlier. his fingers dug deeper into the wood as he shot him a worried look.

_"where is it? it's important"_ Eren looked over at Levi, he rolled his eyes and brought it over; the satchel making a loud banging sound as it hit the table. Ivo wrapped his fingers around the buckle, quickly flicking it open to check the contents Erens questions to him filtering into background noise. he ran his fingers against the blue-grey material, letting out a peaceful sigh at it being fully intact. he looked into the side pocket and back up at Eren; who was watching the ordeal with slight confusion. _"I think this is for you"_ he slid a held out a tattered letter with the name _Eren Yeager_ written in inked cursive. His brows furrowed in confusion, he couldn't find a reason for a child having a note for him; but this child? there were a few options.

He cleared his throat and retrieved the parchment from him, he debated opening it where he was but given the series of events that had already taken place he didn't want to push his luck with the universe. _"what's in there"_ he pointed at the box and raised an eyebrow. the boy had been unnaturally protective of it- even risking his life to obtain it to whatever it was had to be important. Ivo shrugged turning it so the lock was visible. _"Dunno, I can't open it"_ he taped the lock hole before pushing it back into the sachel. 

So Eren was wrong, Ivo had risked his life for a box of which he didn't know the context of _"are you insane!? you can't attempt to outrun titans for something of no worth to you!!"_ Ivos face twisted into annoyance _"Of course it has worth to me, I'm not an idiot!!"_ his voice raised slightly as he glared at the obviously angered man in front of him, pushing himself up and leaning forwards to match the adults' height. _"you even don't know what's in it! and your willing to die for it!?"_ he had never really thought about how stupid it was till he was hearing it with his own ears. he had no major reason to stay in possession of it; it had just shown up on the door of his orphanage with a note that read simply:

> Dear Ivo
> 
> Im leaving this in your possession as I believe you can fulfill its destiny nicely. you know nothing of who I am and why I chose to send the contents of this bag to you however I'm fully aware of what information you will gain when your time comes. you are a special child and somewhere in the world there is another like you, I think you two will get along. by the time you meet him, he should be prepared to carry this burden, and you too will be expected to take up your role in the universe. this task is one that may cost your life but I trust you with this responsibility.

Ah yes, that was it. he felt needed, he finally had gripped onto something that guaranteed him a purpose; a note from an unsigned stranger that when summarised told him that after it got worse it would get better. and he wanted nothing more than to be there when it did, even if it was on his deathbed when he breathed his last breath, we was determined to see himself be the main character. Their short argument had gained a small amount f attention; however, that was still more than Ivo wanted. he gave in with a begrudging huff, throwing himself back against the chair and returning to his neutral expression. _"why do you care anyway?"_ they had gathered attention once again, it was better that he calmed the argument before it could start.

Eren stayed silent to his question; he himself had no idea why he was so invested in the suicide trip of a child but he knew he was. he couldn't tell if it was the recklessness of his actions or how he attempted to brush said actions off but it really angered him. _"Exactly- you have just as much reason to care about than how much I do for that box"_ Ivo was right, way to right for a child. he was impulsively correct which just seemed wrong, being reckless and logical just seemed unfair to the rest of the world. he took another sip of his water and looked back up at Eren. _"Is that all? did you only come to lecture me on my poor life choices?"_

Eren calmed himself, gathering himself to return to the entire point of their interaction. _"I actually have two questions. How did you get those scars and do you know what a titan shifter is?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may post one or two more chapters tomorrow but for today this is the last. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger but I hope you guys enjoyed it


	5. Chapter five

Ivo blinked staying silent for a minute _"A what?"_ his face warped into confusion at his question. The idea of a titan shifter was foreign to him, like a nonexistent concept _"A titan shifter-"_ the boy waved him off, shaking his head slightly as he thought for a second. he could guess what Eren was talking about but hed probably be off by a good mile _"I heard what you said but I don't know what it is"_. 

_"A titan shifter is.... put simply, a human that can turn themselves into a titan"_ The boys' eyes squinted in curiosity he straightened his back and put a finger to his chin as he replayed the previous scene, mumbling to himself _"Is that what happened earlier- when there was that big flash of light and then-"_ His lips curled up into a small smile at Ivos' enthusiasm _"mmhmm that was me"_. he was well aware of how risky it was to make such a bold statement towards this child, however, the reaction was a lot calmer than he had expected. _"oh okay"_ Ivo shrugged.

his reaction was far too casual for Eren to be okay with, had he expected it to be him; his ability to titan shift wasn't a secret so it's entirely likely he was already aware but he seemed surprised by the concept entirely so he obviously had no idea. _"I'm surprised you reacted so comfortably, you weren't even slightly freaked out"_. that was a lie, Ivo was confused out of his mind; confused and extremely excited. It wasn't entirely impossible for something such as titan shifting to exist but it still felt fictional, like an elaborately written book. he shrugged blinking a few times _"It's not impossible, that and the fact that unlike you I'm not obsessed with how others choose to risk their lives"_. he smirked, turning away and sticking his tongue out to mock him. 

All heads turned almost instantly when Eren burst out in a fit of laughter,f followed but a quiet snickering from Ivo. he had to admit if he had been having this conversation with anyone else he would have felt insulted, maybe a little angered but such honest and truthful words coming from a child was humourous. from the outside though it felt like te largest wave of positivity had washed over the room; when compared to the dull and depressing nature that usually filled it, it was refreshing. some even began laughing themselves, at what exactly they weren't sure of but the shift in energy had lifted the rooms' aura. Ivo coughed back his laughter attempting to mask his joy with an angry glare, barely managing to stifle a giggle. The mess hall almost doubled in volume from then on; people conversing loudly and laughing at whatever jokes they were telling each other. Eventually, Eren caught his breath, and returned to the conversation _"What about your scars?"_

Ivo looked up at him, furrowing his eyebrows at the question. _"What about them"_. Sensitive really wasn't the right way to describe the topic of his scars it was much more of a resentment, they didn't hurt at all aside from a slight burning whenever he hurt himself, but they had singled him out. 

He watched the rest of the kids get adopted quickly, smiling and waving them off as their new parents grimaced at the deep markings. He had been there the longest without even being considered, and he didn't blame them. He didn't have many positive aspects; he was stubborn and sarcastic, he disliked holding a conversation and despite his wide variety of knowledge he came across as a smartass. The exposed muscle definitely didn't help, the way it washed away any appeal he had from being a child as young as he was. he was adopted eventually, by a blind man when he was around seven; the man wasn't married and rarely spoke of any family members whatsoever. But he was kind, offering the expanse of land he lived on in return for Ivos' assistance in daily tasks; he'd run errands, read his letters and write responses. 

When he wasn't carrying out a task he was free to roam the forest behind the house or explore the house's library, it had seemed strange that a blind man had felt the need to have a library but he had just assumed it had come with the house. he never learned of his name, in all letters addressed to him he was referred to as simply 'the professor' and that was how Ivo addressed him as well. He was unbothered by the man's name and frankly was absolutely fine with calling him professor, but what he did wonder was what exactly he was the professor of.

-

it had been around ten months when he found out; it wasn't intentional, he had found the entrance to his office accidentally and entered out of pure curiosity. the room was filled with gigantic severed limbs, some floating in what he assumes was a preservation liquid and others hung on walls and pinned together with needles. and in the middle of the room sat the professor; his head down working on- something. There was no need for Ivo to announce his presence, the mans' slight turn towards the doorway where Ivo stood letting him know that he already knew. They stood in silence, a sigh from the older man breaking the tense atmosphere as he waved the boy over and motioned for him to sit. 

_"I see you've found your way into my office"_ the turning of his body to allow Ivo to see him had revealed his face and the pair of glasses sitting on the rim of his nose. Shock spread across his face at the revelation of his vision, he opened his mouth to question him; quickly shutting it when he was denied.

_"There's no need to ask- I shall explain; I was tasked with observing you quite a while ago- I was chosen by a dear friend of mine to monitor your development. The friend in question wished to remain anonymous to you so that in the case of you meeting there would be no negative feelings. I believe he has already been in contact with you and as I have seen; left you with a few objects."_

He paused to check for Ivos' reaction and continued satisfied with the lack of anger. _"I am simply a piece to be moved by his hand in order for you to reach your full potential. I'm afraid I cannot tell you anymore as it is too the limit of my knowledge, however, I will attempt to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability"_

He truly had only one question _"Why do I look like this?"_ the already thick air had been suffocating, instead of the tears or cries of betrayal, he was asked the most simple question. he hadn't been instructed on the proper way to answer this question in particular, if there even was a proper way it was above his understanding. So he told him as truthfully as possible while leaving out certain details as instructed. 

_"you weren't born per se, well not in the traditional way. essentially you're the amalgamation of raw untampered DNA, you were 'born' in a suspended action mid-way through-"_ He paused carefully considering his words and what Ivo would understand. _"Shifting. eventually, they managed to return you to your natural form however your body had already begun to heal around the changes."_

-

_"Shifting-"_ He had interrupted before Eren could repeat his question. _"What? do you mean titan shifting?"_ He frowned at the ground; wracking his brain for the exact words from their conversation. "I'm not sure just something about shifting and- suspension I think. Something happened after I was born and my skin healed around it". Eren looked to the side nodding at someone and turned back to face him; unsurprised by the look of determination as he thought deeply. He hummed in acknowledgment spontaneously deciding to change the subject in an attempt to calm the boys' thoughts _"You've been here for almost an hour already; you might want to change out of those clothes before you get sick."_

He shrugged, nodding softly as he straightened his posture _"Sure I guess"_ he shrugged; his clothes were caked in mud, his lower back slightly damp from where it has pressed against the wet dirt earlier. Eren waved someone over, He recognized her face but couldn't remember her name. _"Ivo, this is my friend Hange-" the woman in question interrupted pushing Eren out of the way to slide onto the bench opposite Ivo. She waved off whatever words he was about to say _"No need for introductions we've already met, you remember me right?"_. He blinked looking over at the older man for encouragement, squinting when he simply reserved a shrug. _"Uhhhhh yes?"_ It wasn't a complete lie; he vividly remembered being manhandled by her only an hour earlier and how she had eagerly approached him back outside the wall. _"Wonderfull!! Well ill be the one to get you all cleaned up. You'll love what I've picked out for you to wear, maximum comfort and perfect for moving around in-"_ He was practically dragged from his seat and across the room leaving to wherever had been deemed his destination._

_"So he is a Titan shifter, huh?"_ Eren turned around to see Levi standing over him with his arms crossed. He nodded, returning his gaze to the door that the boy had just been dragged out of _"Probably, he mentioned something about shifting but didn't emphasize that it was Titan shifting in particular."_ /p> His tone had dropped from the lighthearted one used to make conversation Ivo to a more serious one. Levi nodded also following his eye line to the door. _"He's In Hanges hands now and there's no way she'd miss the chance to examine him, well know soon enough"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I put a lit of work into this one so I'm only going to write one today. Hopefully I can get a few more out in the next few days. <3


	6. Chapter six

Levi's gaze cast downwards to the box still on the table _"Does the kid know how to open that thing?"_. The box itself was a decent sized, bade of a hard blueish grey material with a small dent over the space containing the lock. Eren shook his head, sparing the case a single glance. _"He doesn't even know what is in it"_

_"I had Hange look at it earlier, only took a little while but she thinks it's made of the same stuff as the wall-"_ He was returned with a knowing look and a small nod. All the evidence pointed towards Ivo being a Titan shifter, which was good for them but bad for him. Eren himself knew the burden of the ability and he couldn't help but feel protective at the idea of Ivo potentially getting hurt. 

He looked to the side, picking up the letter he had been gifted earlier _"Ivo was holding this for me"_ His fingers pulled the paper apart to reveal the letter inside. _"read it, hopefully it'll make this whole process shorter"_

> Eren Yeager,  
>  If you are fortunate enough to read this you have either met Ivo or found his dead body, if it's the latter you may now cease reading. If it's the former there is quite a large deal of information you must know about him. As you have probably already found out; he too is a Titan shifter, In particular the mimic Titan. He and twenty others were part of a sadly illegal project, originally we had sought a license but once our intentions were explained it was deemed unethical.
> 
> The project in question went into action nine years ago; it included introducing forty fertilized embryos to minuscule amounts of Titan DNA through embryonic fluid over their nine months of growth. Many died before their due date however five including Ivo survived, he was born two weeks early from what we believe was him trying to shift, killing his mother in the process. We managed to stabilize him by blocking his Titan DNA, we had hoped to go through with the exact same procedure with the other children however almost all of them were stillborn the rest dying only hours after being blocked. 
> 
> By now you are probably questioning how this relates to you, well to keep Ivo from inversely hurting himself we locked away the reversal fluid in a box of which you own the key. In the box there is a syringe, that will unblock his Titan DNA and a book on the abilities of the mimic Titan. The choice is yours, I'll leave his future in your hands. 

There was no signed name, not even a closing message; he frowned looking at the backside of the paper for any sign of sender. _"What is it brat? Don't tell me it's useless"_ He eyes returned to Levi's, a concerned look on his face as he handed the letter to his captain. They sat in silence as he read it, the noise outside of their interaction practically nonexistent; it was obvious from his reaction when he had finished it. _"Shit"_

-

He was pissed; thoroughly upset at the situation, he had tuned out the enthusiastic rambling of the woman next to him a while ago, settling for small nods every few minutes. He sat completely bare in a pretty large basin filled with lukewarm water, his hair soaked and dripping as he contemplated existence. He wasn't an unhygienic person he just hated baths. He had no idea of what the woman was looking for but every so often she'd break her endless monologue to gasp or squeal when she touched a patch of skin.

He stared off in the distance pondering where he would stay next, yawning and clearing his eyes of tears. His arms started to tingle, the undersides going soft, his body simultaneously fading to weightlessness. He frowned looking up to see Hange grinning down at him as she held his dripping frame over the basin with a towel. 

He blinked, staring at her as she let him down and dropped the fabric onto his head _"Okay kid, dry yourself off and I'll go get your outfit, I bet you'll love it"_. He shrugged wrapping himself in the towel and watching as she exited, leaving him awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. His thoughts drifted from person to person until he landed on Eren, he liked him. Sure he could be a little pushy but for the most part, he was cool. He was aware that the main reason for looking up to him was prom the scars he had when he first met him, but he was okay with that. 

He was shocked from his thoughts by the door opening again, she returned holding a pile of dark green and white fabric, holding out his clothes proudly. _"These should fit you, they may be a little big- but look how cute they are. So do you like em'?"_ He smiled awkwardly and nodded; he appreciated the sentiment, he really did but he couldn't understand her level of investment. _"They're- um nice?"_

He retrieved them, attempting to get fully dressed before she started on another tangent. The clothes were, as she had said, surprisingly very comfortable _"Let's get you back to the boys, they probably have more questions for you"_ His legs began moving before had finished her sentence, carrying him in the direction of the mess hall.

By the time they had arrived it was practically empty, save Mikasa and Armin in the corner trying to keep an eye on Eren. He returned to his seat across from Eren confused at their serious expressions. The weight on the bench changed as Hange took a seat next to him, cupping his face to squeeze his cheeks. _"Look how adorable he is, all clean now! And-"_ she gushed over him, very obviously directing her attention to the scars on his face as she babied him. _"Hange"_ there was no need for Levi to raise his voice, the tone alone had let her know the severity of whatever the situation was.

Needless to say Ivo was confused, all three people were staring at him with an odd mix of pity and curiosity. Not to say he was unhappy with the quiet, absolutely not. Levi tossed the note over to Hange, motioning her to read it. He watched in silence as her eyes widened and she quickly became serious, folding the note in half and placing it back down. _"So are we gonna do it?"_

 _"I- don't know, as the note says it's up to Eren, we can't do anything he doesn't want to; he has the key"_ Ivo was trying his best to put pieces of the conversation, but with no context, it was near impossible. _"It's unethical- whoever started the project knows this"_

His hands edged up to the side of the table, inching towards the note _"So would it really be that bad if we continued it?"_ He had stopped trying to tell the difference between voices. _"Children are hard to handle, too much emotion could quickly turn everything south"_

He swiftly pulled the paper into his lap upon contact, opening it up to read it. _"But they're also easy to convince, working with him would be starting off with a blank slate"_ He froze, eyes widening in both disgust and determination as he read the letter. _"Alright Eren make the decision"_

He took a moment to think before making his final choice _"Wel-". "I'll do it"_. The three of them looked at him quickly, seeing the paper in his lap and registering his answer.  
_"What?"_

 _"I said I'll do it"_ He was completely serious and that's what concerned them, the fact that he was genuinely asking for something so drastic. _"Kid, I don't think this isn't a decision that someone your age should be making"_ Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. 

He ignored him looking to Eren for validation, he couldn't say no if he decided against it; he was the one with the key. _"Are you sure? It's not fun and you can't turn back when your sick of it"_ He nodded pushing himself up to look taller. _"I didn't spend six years waiting for you to turn up for nothing to happen"_. 

There was a silence and a click of teeth, Hange shrugged rubbing the back of her neck _"He does make a valid point" _Eren sighed, looking at Levi who simply shrugged. _"Okay, I guess we're going through with it"___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't post anything during the week, I had a lot of stuff to do. Onto the good stuff; I've got some time of next week so hopefully I'll be posting more. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I'd love to hear what you guys would like to see. <3


End file.
